Crotalaria laburnoides Klotzsch

Leguminosae, J. B. Gillett, R. M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit

Erect annual, up to 7 dm. tall, much branched particularly towards the base.

Morphology Stem

Stem subappressed pubescent or less commonly subglabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets elliptic-lanceolate to elliptic or obovate, up to 20–58 mm. long, 10–26 mm. wide, glabrous above, shortly appressed pubescent or rarely glabrous beneath; petiole ± 15–32 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules subulate-caudate or linear, up to 2–4 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes up to 6–18 cm. long, with few to many laxly or rather closely arranged flowers; bracts linear-lanceolate, ± 2–3 mm. long; bracteoles inserted at the base of the calyx, filiform, up to 2 mm. long, deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 6–7 mm. long, with the tube protracted on the lower side, shortly appressed pubescent; upper lobes in bud triangular-lanceolate, rather abruptly contracted to an excentric apiculate apex, usually puberulous along the margins inside, becoming attenuate and glabrescent inside in the mature flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard suborbicular, yellow, finely veined with red, turning orange, puberulous outside; wings obovate-oblong, ± as long as the keel; keel bent at right-angles in the lower half, with a narrow twisted beak, 8–11 mm. long, lanate-pilose along the upper margin.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod subsessile, broadly oblong-ellipsoid to oblong-obovoid, 14–23 mm. long, 8–14 mm. across, puberulous or glabrous outside, often with small scattered hairs inside, ± 16–28-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds obUque-cordiform, ± 2·5 mm. long, smooth, shiny, light tan.

Leguminosae, various authors. Flora Zambesiaca 3:7. 2003

Morphology General Habit

Erect annual (0.1)0.3–1.5 m tall; branches appressed pubescent, sometimes glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets 2–6 × 0.8–2.5 cm, oblong-elliptic to elliptic, usually appressed pubescent beneath; petiole 1–3 cm long; stipules 1.5–4 mm long, linear-subulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes (4)10–15 cm long, (8)12–24-flowered; buds ascending; bracts 1.5–3 mm long, linear-subulate to linear-lanceolate, bracteoles on the calyx, 0.5–2 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 5–8 mm long, usually appressed pubescent; upper lobes oblong to triangular-lanceolate, rather abruptly contracted to an excentric apiculate tip, 1.5–2.5 times as long as the tube, usually with white hairs along the margins inside, becoming attenuate and glabrescent inside in mature flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard broadly elliptic to subcircular, yellow, finely veined and ageing reddish, pubescent outside; wings oblong-obovate, ± as long as the keel; keel 9–11 mm long, angular, with a narrow twisted beak, lanate along the upper suture.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod subsessile, 1.6–2.4 × (0.8)1–1.4 cm, broadly oblong-ellipsoid to oblong-obovoid, appressed puberulous to glabrous, c. 16–28-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 2–2.8 mm long, oblique-cordiform, smooth, yellowish to brown.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zanzibar-Inhambane regional transition zone; bushland and thicket., Tongaland-Pondoland regional transition zone - grassland., Zambezian grassland, Guinea-Congolia/Sudania regional transition zone; grasslands.

Morphology General Habit

Annual, Not climbing, Herb

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/179408/180408487

Conservation

LC - least concern